Voltage Quality Improvement in Distribution

Networks
A case study

Zúñiga Reyes, Cristián Andrés

Dept. Power Quality
Chilectra S.A.
Santiago, Chile
czr@chilectra.cl

Abstract— This paper is presented by Chilectra, a subsidiary of

the Endesa Group Spain and the biggest electric utility in Chile.
It sets out a methodology for estimating and determining control
TABLE I. LEGALLY ALLOWED VOLTAGE RANGES IN CHILE
parameters for the voltage quality to be delivered to its end
customers. The methodology is able to estimate the voltage at Allowed range as a
Voltag Nominal voltage
each end customer location in the low voltage (LV) distribution e level (kV)
percentage of the nominal
network, using measurements of voltage, current and power voltage
factor in real operating conditions at the feeder substation bus HV 110 – 220 5%
bars in the medium voltage (MV) distribution network. The MV 12 – 23 6%
available information sources, the assumptions used for analysis LV 0.38 (*) 7.5%
and the partial results at each stage of the methodology are (*) In Chilectra’s electrical system, the nominal voltage in LV network is 400 (V)
described. A case study shows the main results of the
methodology: the number of end customers with voltage quality
problems and the geographical location of these customers. Further more, the legal requirements consider the voltage
Finally, it shows the improvement obtained as a percentage quality evaluation by using two methods:
decrease in end customers subject to bad voltage quality when
applying the methodology. • Specific distribution network point evaluation. This
evaluation determines the individual voltage quality.
Keywords-component; power quality; voltage quality;
distribution network; power flow methods. • Statistical evaluation of a group of distribution network
points. This evaluation determines the global voltage
quality. The group of network points must be selected
I. INTRODUCTION
by statistical methods in order to ensure valid results
The legal requirements for voltage quality in Chile include for all network points.
restrictions over the voltage levels at the end customer
connection points. The requirements consider the nominal Currently, the regulating authority evaluates the voltage
voltage at the end customer connection points (high, medium quality only when it receives an end customer complaint. The
or low voltage). The requirements also consider that the voltage regulating authority has yet to begin a systematical evaluation
must be within a determined range at least 95% of the time of individual voltage quality.
over any seven day measurement period. The legally allowed Nevertheless, Chilectra has developed a simulation tool in
ranges are presented in Table I. order to estimate voltage at each end customer connection
point. The main objective is to anticipate the voltage quality
problems of end customers. In addition, this simulation tool The simulation tool passes through three main stages to
enables Chilectra to know the current state of voltage quality in achieve results. Each one of these three stages is described
Chilectra´s network and to anticipate the results of future below:
regulating authority evaluations.
A. Execution of power flow in the MV distribution network:
II. DESCRIPTION OF CHILECTRA’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM The input data for this stage are measurements of voltage,
Chilectra is a utility that delivers the public service of current and power factor on the header of each MV feeder.
electricity supply to most of Santiago (Chile’s capital). These measurements are taken every 15 minutes, from
Chilectra’s SCADA system and show the real value at that
Next Table II presents the main characteristics of present time.
Chilectra’s electrical system.
Other input data for this stage is the MV network topology.
This information is used to simulate the power flow in the MV
III. DESCRIPTION OF CHILECTRA’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM network. The available topological information of the MV
Due to the high number of Chilectra’s end customers and network includes the geographical location of the MV
the impossibility of evaluating the voltage quality in all of distribution network and of the protection and switching
them, Chilectra has developed a simulation tool to detect equipment. The length, cross section and electrical
voltage quality problems at end customer connection points. characteristics of the MV distribution network conductors are
also included. The information about the MV distribution
This simulation tool estimates voltage at each end customer
network is maintained and updated daily in an Informix
connection point, by using the operating conditions in the
Database.
substation bus bars of medium voltage feeders and by using the
electrical and topological configuration of the MV and LV The power flow in the MV distribution network uses a
distribution networks. program developed in Chilectra. The program was developed
by using the FORTRAN language and it works in the UNIX
The simulation tool uses power flow methods in the MV
operating system. The program calculates voltage, current and
and LV voltage networks. Figure 1 describes the main stages of
power factor on the MV side of all the distribution transformers
the simulation tool.
in the MV distribution network. This power flow method uses
an algorithm of aggregated power and it assumes that the
TABLE II. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHILECTRA’S ELECTRICAL power distribution at each transformer is proportional to its
SYSTEM nominal power.
Characteristic No. As an outcome of this stage of the process, we can get an
HV network kilometers 358 estimation of the voltage, current and power factor on the MV
HV/MV substations 41 side in each distribution transformer.
MV network kilometers 5,035
MV/LV substations 27,006 B. Transfer of MV power flow results to the LV distribution
LV network kilometers 9,586 network:
MV feeders 374 This stage considers the transfer of the power flow results
Company transformers 21,626 obtained on the MV side of each distribution transformer in
Private transformers 5,380 relation to their corresponding values on their LV side.
(MV end customers) The input data for this stage are voltage, current and power
LV end customers 1,426,445 factor on the MV side at each distribution transformer. These
results are obtained from the previous stage.
Power flow in the MV Transfer of the MV Power flow in the LV
distribution network power flow results to the
LV distribution network
distribution network Other input data for this stage is an equivalent model for the
SCADA Voltage, Voltage,
distribution transformers. This model considers the nominal
measurements current and
power factor in
current and
power factor in
voltage, the complex series impedance, the tap changer
the MV side of
distribution
LV side of
distribution
available positions and the connected tap position for each
transformers transformers distribution transformer. The information regarding the
Execution of power
flow in the MV network
Execution of
complex series impedance (magnitude and angle) is obtained
Transference of MV
power flow in
the LV network
from standard impedance tables of Chilectra´s distribution
MV network
power flow results
to the LV network
transformers. The information regarding the connected tap
topology
LV network
position for each transformer is obtained from Maintenance
topology
Unit databases and from measurement programs concerned
Equivalent
model of the with the verification of voltage quality problems.
distribution Voltage
transformers estimation at
each end A MS-Access database is used to provide the results of this
customer
connection point stage: the voltage, the current and the power factor on the LV
side at each distribution transformer.
Figure 1. Main stages of the simulation tool
C. Power flow in the LV distribution network:
The input data for this stage are the voltage, the current and
the power factor on the LV side at each distribution transformer
obtained from the previous stage.
Additionally, the LV network topology is used. Similarly,
just as it does for the MV network, the LV network information
includes the length and electrical characteristics of the LV
network conductors. The geographical location of all end
customers is also included. The database used to maintain and
to update the information about the LV distribution network is
day, at 15 minute intervals for one month, and then taking the
minimum value over the month. These two simulations were
used to obtain a range for the number of end customers with a
voltage level out of the allowed range when the simulation tool
considers the operating conditions for the voltage in a MV bus
bar.
12,5
12,0

Bus bar voltage (kV)

the same as the one used for the MV network information.
11,5
A program developed in Chilectra is used to calculate
power flow results in the LV distribution network. This 11,0
program uses an aggregated power algorithm to calculate
power flow. The program was developed using the C++ 10,5
language and it has a graphic interface to analyze the LV
network. 10,0

0:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
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13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
The result of this stage is an estimation of the voltage at
each end customer connection point. Week days Average voltage day Minimun voltage day

IV. CASE STUDY Figure 2. Example with the voltage performance in the period when its
The operating conditions of Chilectra’s electrical system variation is highest.
vary throughout the year. The performance of the loads
connected to the electrical system of which Chilectra’s system Table III describes the input data (voltage, current and
is connected and the performance of the loads connected to power factor) concerned with the simulations explained
Chilectra’s electrical system are both important factors. previously. In Figure 2, the measurements of voltage are
Consequently, the voltage at the substation bus bars of the MV received every 15 minutes, between 17:00 hours and 23:00
feeders and the voltage at each end customer connection point hours, and this gives 24 simulation intervals for each case.
vary throughout the year. In summary, for each one of the 24 simulation intervals, the
simulation tool uses the input data (voltage, current and power
The main factors that determine the voltage level at end
factor in MV bus bars) corresponding to the “average voltage
customer connection points are:
day” and corresponding to the “minimum voltage day” in order
• Voltage in the MV bus bars. to obtain estimated numbers of end customers with a voltage
level outside the allowed range.
• Voltage drop along the MV feeders.
The input data for the MV power flow method, the
• Distribution transformers connected tap positions. transference of MV power flow results to the LV side of
• Voltage drop along the LV distribution network. distribution transformers and the determination of the number
of end customers with a voltage level out of the allowed range,
Because the simulation tool developed considers all factors was developed by using a MS-Access Database. The execution
described, it was used to estimate the number of end customers of the MV power flow was automated by using the Arc-Info
with a voltage level out of the required range. The simulation Macro Language (AML) in the UNIX operating system. The
tool was applied in the period when the variation voltage at the LV power flow was executed manually in each simulation
MV bus bars was highest. interval.
Figure 2 shows an example with the performance of voltage
in the period when its variation is highest, in a MV bus bar of TABLE III. INPUT DATA FOR SIMULATION CASES
Chilectra’s electrical system. It shows the measurement of
Simulation cases
voltage on week days (Monday to Friday) for a month. Input data
Average voltage day Minimum voltage day
In Figure 2, the performance of an “average voltage day”
and the performance of a “minimum voltage day” are also Voltage Monthly average Monthly minimum
shown. The “average voltage day” is the day showing the Current Values used are those Values used are
average voltage level for each hour of the day. This is and measured those measured
calculated by recording the voltage levels every day, at 15 power simultaneously with simultaneously with
minute intervals for one month, and then taking the average factor the voltage reading the minimum
over the month. Similarly, the “minimum voltage day” is the nearest to average voltage
day showing the minimum voltage level for each hour of the voltage
day. This is calculated by recording the voltage levels every
 A case study using a selected MV bus bar of the Chilectra’s 13,0 5.000
electrical system was developed. The selected MV bus bar has 12,5 4.500
a connected load with the characteristics presented in Table IV. 12,0 4.000

Number of end customers

Bus bar voltage (kV )
11,5 3.500
Figure 3 shows the results obtained by using the simulation
11,0 3.000
tool (voltage values related to the two simulation cases are also
10,5 2.500
showed in Figure 2). Additionally, Figure 3 shows the number
10,0 2.000
of end customers with a voltage level outside the required
9,5 1.500
range (number of end customers with voltage lower than 203.5
9,0 1.000
(V) or voltage higher than 236.5 (V)).
8,5 500
Figure 3 also shows that the number of end customers with 8,0 -
a voltage level out of the allowed range increases when the MV

17 5
17 0
18 5
18 0
18 5
18 0
19 5
19 0
19 5
19 0
20 5
20 0

20 0
21 5
21 0

21 0
22 5
22 0
22 5

23 5
0
20 5

21 5

22 0
:1
:3
:4
:0
:1
:3
:4
:0
:1
:3
:4
:0

:3
:4
:0

:3
:4
:0

:4
:0
:1

:1

:1
:3
17
Average voltage
bus bar decreases. This was expected (in this case, the voltage Minimum voltage
Number of end customers at average voltage
level outside the allowed range must be lower than 203.5 (V)). Number of end customers at minimum voltage
For example, if the voltage level on the selected MV bus bar at
19:15 hours is 11.7 (kV), then the number of end customers Figure 3. Results obtained by the simulation in the selected MV bus bar
with voltage level out of the required range is between 430 y
By identifying the distribution transformers of end
1,200 customers.
customers with voltage quality problems, the corresponding
The simulation tool results enable us to identify those end LV distributions networks and their characteristics are also
customers with a voltage level outside the allowed range and to identified. This, added to the verification of the conditions on
identify the distribution transformers of these customers. In the ground, allows the utility to take actions in order to improve
Figure 4, the geographical location of the distribution the voltage quality. These actions could be: change the
transformers with end customers with voltage level out of the connected tap position of the distribution transformer to
allowed range is shown. In Figure 4, the distribution increase the voltage level, or redistribute the loads connected to
transformers are represented by different dots: the grey dots are the distribution transformers in order to decrease the voltage
transformers where there are no voltage quality problems. The drop along the LV network. These actions are implemented
other dots represent the severity of the voltage quality problem. easily and aren’t expensive. Other actions may be considered,
The severity of the voltage quality problem in a distribution if the aforementioned do not prove successful.
transformer is measured according to the number of simulation
This case study presents the improvement in the voltage
intervals in which a problem occurred. The higher the number
quality of the end customers obtained by changing the
of intervals experiencing difficulties the more severe the
connected tap position of the transformers. From Figure 4, a
problem. The maximum severity is 48, which corresponds to a
group of 10 distribution transformers whose end customers
transformer whose end customers have voltage quality
have voltage quality problems was selected using the following
problems in each one of the simulation intervals for the
considerations:
“average voltage day” and for the “minimum voltage day”.
There were a total of 25 distribution transformers with end
customers experiencing voltage quality problems. .
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TABLE IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOAD CONNECTED TO SELECTED !!
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Number of MV feeders 3
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Number of company transformers 193 !
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Number of company end customers 17,534 ! ! !
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Number of private transformers 39 ! ! !
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Figure 4. Geographical location of end customers with voltage level outside

the required range
 2000
• Number of end customers with voltage quality
problems.

Number of end customers

1500
• Severity of the voltage quality problems
1000
The selected group of 10 distribution transformers and the
actions taken to improve the voltage quality problems are
shown in Table V. 500

Additionally, Table V also presents actions to complement

0
the change of the connected tap position of the distribution

0
:1

:3

:4

:0

:1

:3
:4

:0

:1

:3

:4

:0

:1

:3

:4

:0

:1

:3

:4

:0

:1

:3

:4

:0
17

17

17

18

18

18

18

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

21

21

21

21

22

22

22

22

23
transformers. These complementary actions are to change the Number of end customers at average voltage
distribution transformer and redistribute the loads connected to Number of end customers at minimum voltage
Modified number of end customers at average voltage
the transformers. Modified number of end customers at minimum voltage

Figure 5 shows the improvement in voltage quality in

relation to the execution of all the actions indicated in Table V. Figure 5. Improvement obtained by excuting the actions indicated in Table V
From Figure 5, we can obtain the percentage of end
customers whose modified voltage is now in the allowed range Further more, the voltage level at the higher end must be
in each simulation interval. The average improvement for the considered in order to ensure that a change to the connected tap
“average voltage day” and for the “minimum voltage day” is position to resolve a low voltage problem doesn’t produce a
17%. The improvement obtained by changing the connected high voltage problem for customers. If this occurs, action must
tap position of the distribution transformers, is related to the be taken to redistribute the loads connected to the transformer.
transformer tap changer (number of available positions and This is the case of transformer ID 6541: the next available
voltage variation for each consecutive position) and is related position for the connected tap position. It increases the voltage
to the voltage drop along the LV distribution network. by 5% and this increase produces a high voltage problem at end
customers connected near to the distribution transformer. In
this case, the improvement must be to change the distribution
transformer for one with a tap changer with a lower voltage
TABLE V. SELECTED GROUP OF 10 DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS AND variation for each consecutive position.
THE ACTIONS TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE VOLTAGE QUALITY PROBLEMS
By considering the factors previously discussed, the
Distribu Actual
Modified methodology for solving voltage quality problems can be
tion tap applied to all MV bus bars in Chilectra’s electrical system.
tap Other recommended actions
transfor positio
position
mer ID n
55660 12540 11880 (*) Change the transformer for V. CONCLUSIONS
another with a tap changer in line
This paper presented a simulation tool in order to estimate
with Chilectra’s requirements
the voltage at each end customer connection point in
53511 12000 11700
Chilectra’s electrical system. The simulation tool uses power
57700 12000 11700 flow methods and geographical information about the MV and
5641 12300 12000 LV distribution networks. Each one of the three stages of the
10362 12000 11700 methodology has been described. The description has included
50798 12000 11700 Redistribute the loads connected to their input data, calculation methods and results.
transformers (important voltage
drop along the LV distribution In the case study, the simulation tool has been applied to
network) two simulation cases concerned with voltage variations in MV
54268 12600 12300 bus bars. The number of end customer connection points with
7517 11880 11700 (*) Change the transformer for voltage level outside the required range was obtained by
another with a tap changer in line applying the simulation tool using the “average voltage day”
with Chilectra’s requirements and the “minimum voltage day”. This, together with the
8757 12540 12000 (*) Change the transformer for verification of conditions on the ground related to the
another with a tap changer in line simulation, enables Chilectra to take actions in order to solve
with Chilectra’s requirements voltage quality problems.
6541 11880 11880 Redistribute the loads connected to
A 17% decrease in the number of end customers with a
transformers (important voltage
drop along the LV distribution
voltage level outside the required range was obtained by
network) applying the simulation tool in the case study. This
(*)Actually, the Chilectra’s requirement for new distribution transformers indicates that their tap
improvement was obtained just by changing the connected tap
changer must have the following available positions: 12,600-12,300-12,000-11,700-11,400 (V). position of 10 distribution transformers whose end customers
This tap changer was selected in order to decrease the voltage variation for each consecutive
position. have voltage quality problems in most of simulation intervals.
The quantity of transformers whose end customers have
voltage quality problems was 25 .
 Additionally, the paper presents the main factors to be
considered when taking measures to solve voltage quality .
problems for the whole of Chilectra’s electrical system.